Recognising Success
Throughout the lifetime of Convergence the success of the investments and the people involved will be recognised, as will their contribution to the business success and economic regeneration of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. See the media releases for more information.
Convergence supported Cornish companies celebrate success.
22.11.11
Last week's inaugural Western Morning News business awards saw Cornish companies take to the stage to receive their awards celebrating their success. Four of the winning businesses had accessed European programmes' support to achieve their ambitions.
Talented Graduates Named Award Winners at The Unlocking Cornish Potential Celebration Event
16.07.11
The UCP Celebration Event recognises the huge impact made by graduates working with Cornish companies, brought together by the ESF (European Social Fund) Convergence funded project, Unlocking Cornish Potential (UCP). The event marks the achievements of the growing number of graduate level positions being created in small to medium sized Cornish companies, and the outcomes that can be achieved when the mix is right. UCP supports companies to engage with graduates, by providing mentoring and training, as well as a potential wage subsidy for the first 12 months.
Wave Hub wins national sustainability award
08.07.11
Wave Hub, the offshore marine energy project in Cornwall, has been named Sustainable Project of the Year in the businessGreen Leaders Awards 2011.
The prestigious awards recognise the businesses, organisations and individuals that are pioneering sustainable techniques and technologies that will build the low-carbon economy of the future.
Carolyn Webster wins National award
01.07.11
Carolyn Webster, European Programmes Manager, Jobcentre Plus, Devon and Cornwall District, has won a national award celebrating ‘trailblazing women’. Carolyn, who plays a key role in the success of using the European Social Fund to support people into work, emerged as the winner among winners to receive the Public Services section of the First Women Awards yesterday (Thursday June 30th) evening.
The awards, held in association with Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets and championed by Helen Alexander, first female president of the CBI, recognise women who actively create opportunities for other women to follow their footsteps. The ceremony was held at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London.
Surf Charity in Lottery awards final
24.06.11
A Westcountry charity dedicated to helping troops returning home from war zones has battled its way into the finals of this year's National Lottery Awards.
Penzance-based Surf Action CIC stormed into the finals beating other UK charities after receiving an avalanche of public votes. The charity will now go up against two other finalists – Sense Scotland and the Altogether Better Programme which works across Yorkshire and Humberside – to take the UK's Best Health Project title.
Cornwall Works WISE awards 2011
09.05.11
This year’s Cornwall Works WISE Awards winners include a world famous fish restaurant; the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Team; a pharmaceutical regulatory company; a waste management company and a man who designed and built a robot that he now uses to carry out specialist mine surveys around the world. All have been commended by Employment Minister Chris Grayling.
The Award Winners, WISE 2011
Performance Centre named Eco Building of the Year
The Performance Centre, located at the Combined Universities in Cornwall's Tremough Campus, has been named Eco Building of the Year in the Michelomores and Western Morning News Commercial Property Awards.
First Women Awards
2011 Shortlist announced including Carolyn Webster from Jobcentre Plus.
Surf Action win People's Millions
"We are delighted to have won the People's Millions Big Lottery Fund £49,960 and will continue the great work supporting veterans suffering from PTSD and physical injuries."
Rich Emmerson of Surf Action
UCP Celebration Event
On Wednesday 27th October at The Keay Theatre over 120 people from the Cornish business community celebrated the success of graduates working in businesses. The Celebration Event recognises the huge impact made by graduates working with Cornish companies, brought together by the ESF (European Social Fund) Convergence funded project, Unlocking Cornish Potential (UCP).
Winners of the Unlocking Cornish Potential Awards Autumn 2010:
Best Marketing Strategy: Winner; Laura Bower - Treasure Trails
Contribution to Business Growth: Winner; Ben Rotheray- Inspired Cycle Engineering
Excellence in Project Management: Winner; Henry Jasper – Spiezia Organics
Best Use of ICT:Winner; Michael Postons – Fourth Element
Contribution to Environmental Sustainability:Winner; Marie Libert – Cornwall Waste Action
Catalyst to Business Growth:Winner; Michael Hewitt – SEA Communications
Contribution to the Knowledge Economy through Innovation:Winner; Emily Wilkinson – Research Instruments
Individual Achievement Award:Winner; Chris Maynard – Leap design for change
The event also celebrated the success of the Creative Enterprise Cornwall (CEC) project, the post-graduate placement programme run by University College Falmouth; CEC enables post graduate students to work with businesses on short-term creative projects to boost their business.
Creative Enterprise Cornwall Award:Winner; Christopher Ward – Stranger Collective
ESF Equal Opportunities and Sustainable Development Mainstreaming 'Leader' Awards
Two European Social Fund Convergence supported investments in Cornwall have won ESF Equal Opportunities and Sustainable Development Mainstreaming 'Leader' Awards. The awards recognise organisations that have made a special commitment to mainstream equal opportunities or sustainable development.
The Young Mums Will Achieve (YMWA) project, which offers further education to teenage parents or pregnant teenagers, won its award in category 2 which recognises the success of organisations in helping a specific target group.
Rapanui highly commended in RSPCA awards
An ethical clothing company started by a graduate from the Combined Universities in Cornwall and his brother has been highly commended in the RSPCA's Good Business Awards 2010.
Mart Drake Knight and his brother Rob, who founded Rapanui in early 2008, received the award in the fashion and sportswear category at a ceremony in London for the company’s ‘contribution to sustainability, animal welfare policy and for fulfilling the ethos of doing business the right way’.
Wild Young Parents Project Wins National Seal of Approval
Cornwall’s Wild Young Parents Project has been awarded the MATRIX Standard, proof it is delivering quality Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) to great effect - not just to its clients but also to project staff.
Whilst investigating the group’s 11 centres, based throughout the county from Penzance to Torpoint, MATRIX Assessor Carol Probyn was so impressed with the quality of advice being delivered she advised Project Manager Jo Davies to enter the MATRIX Excellence Awards.
Congratulations
The University of Plymouth confered 20 honorary awards as part of its Graduation Week, which was hosted on Plymouth Hoe from September 20-25.
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business on Tuesday 21 September;
Richard Bayly, Deputy Regional Director for Economy Growth and Regeneration in the Government Office South West, who received an Honorary Doctorate of Business on Tuesday 21 September;
Jane Henderson, Chief Executive of the South West of England Regional Development Agency, who was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Business on Tuesday 21 September;
07.09.10 The headlines tonight: Alastair Stewart to receive Honorary Doctorate from University of Plymouth
Civil Service Awards 2010
Carolyn Webster was nominated and shortlisted in two of the 15 categories in this year's Civil Service Awards.
The Public Service Award and the Collaboration Award both for her work with Jobcentre Plus and ESF Convergence in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. These national awards received over 800 nominations.
The award ceremony was held at Buckingham Palace.
Cornwall Works WISE awards 2010
02.07.10
WISE Winners in 2010 are:
Pentreath Wins Outstanding Achievement Award
This year’s Outstanding Achievement Award at the Cornwall Works WISE awards has been won by Pentreath – an organisation which offers training, work experience and employment opportunities for people in Cornwall who are recovering from mental ill health.
Welfare to Work individual Award Winner: Rich Emerson
A veteran of the 1st Gulf War and proud to serve his country but on leaving the army Rich Emerson experienced many barriers to adjusting to everyday life and suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He drifted through a variety of jobs and a series of unsuccessful treatments for PTSD. Four years ago he got help via the Royal British Legion from the Combat Stress charity and Warrior programme. More recently he undertook the highly successful “Talking to Minds” course.
Rich talks in-depth about Surf Action in this thought-provoking film
Welfare to Work organisation / project Award Winner: Skills Centre at Penwith Community Development Trust
Skills Centre at Penwith Community Development Trust is an organisation based in Penzance that for a number of years has helped people to build their confidence, motivation and skills for work through innovative packages of interventions, joined up by expert employment advisers.
The centre, supported by investment from the ESF Convergence programme, provides participants with a wide range of support including 1-2-1 employment advice, personal and career development, and training packages to gain qualifications for work.
Innovation individual Award Winner: Mark Jones
Mark Jones joined Dash Ltd through the Unlocking Cornish Potential graduate placement scheme which receives ESF Convergence support.
The company has successfully broken into new markets and now trades nationally as well as locally. Mark has two online shops running – www.dash4it.co.uk and www.dash4yourshop.co.uk and the company is one of the top ten ordnance survey wholesalers in the UK and two further staff have been employed to cope with the growth in business.
Innovation organisation / project Award Winner: The ECIF e-Marketing project
The ECIF e-Marketing project is an innovative project designed to help businesses in Cornwall through the recession by utilising emerging digital technologies.
The ECIF e-Marketing Project is funded by HEFCE, ESF Convergence (through Unlocking Cornish Potential) & ERDF Convergence (through Knowledge Exchange South West) and led by University College Falmouth, alongside Cornwall College, and Truro & Penwith College and Business Link.
Skills individual Award Winner: Kevin Maggs
A Union Learning Rep, Kevin has made a real difference in securing and delivering a workforce development programme at A&P Falmouth. A member of the GMB union Kevin was instrumental in negotiating the Marine Skills project at A&P Falmouth, and his considerable talent for engaging learners in the workplace has ensured its success.
Skills organisation / project Award Winner: Cornwall Marine Network
Cornwall Marine Network is a not for profit organisation dedicated to supporting the Marine sector in Cornwall via initiatives that improve business profitability and encourage growth through quality, innovation and training.
Established in 2002 to improve the prosperity of Cornwall's world-class marine sector - it received its first round of EU funding in 2005. Five years on, the Network remains firmly rooted in the sector, seeing the key to the current and future success as continuing to support members through inventive training and marketing initiatives.
Employer championing Welfare to Work: The Range, Truro
The Range has shown real commitment to employing people through welfare to work programmes. They have worked closely with Jobcentre Plus to develop pre-employment routeways designed to give long term benefit recipients a chance to compete effectively for jobs within the company.
Employer championing Skills: Cornwall Farmers
Cornwall Farmers is a local company, established in 1920. In February 2009, the retail division of the company embarked on a major training initiative involving its 170 retail staff. Developed in partnership with Cornwall College and Cornwall Retail Skills, and funded by investment from the ESF Convergence programme and Train to Gain, the training programme is bespoke to the company’s needs.
'Cornwall Works WISE Awards 2010: The Winners' brochure
Local Store Shortlisted for Award
23.06.10
The Range in Truro has been recognised for its commitment to employment with a shortlisting for the 2010 Cornwall Works Wise awards, due to be held on Friday July 3rd.
South West ESF Awards
18.03.10
Awards recognising excellence in employment and skills activity across the whole of the South West from the ESF Convergence and Competitiveness programmes take place at The Rougemont Thistle Hotel in Exeter from 2pm on Thursday March 18th.
18.03.10 Convergence Employer of the Year Award: Mashfords
18.03.10 Tutor/Mentor of the Year Award: Cynthia Thomas
18.03.10 Convergence Employment and Skills Award: Xtravert
18.03.10 SW ESF Outstanding Contribution Award: Carolyn Webster
18.03.10 Convergence Personal Contribution Award: Shaz French
18.03.10 Convergence Young Achiever Award: Dee White
18.03.10 Convergence Workforce Development Award: HFC
18.03.10 Convergence Personal Achievement Award: Arron Edwards
12.10.09 Enterprise in Cornwall Award
12.10.09 Newquay Cornwall Airport scoops ERA Airport Award
28.09.09 Honorary Doctorate for Nigel Ashcroft
20.08.09 Good practice recognised
10.08.09 University maintains “top five” position
07.08.09 UCF National Students Survey
26.06.09 Queen honours Cornish young mums project
08.05.09 Government praise for Cornwall Works WISE awards
08.05.09 Lifetime achievement award for Professor Keith Atkinson
